Monument to the great Armenian poet and ashug Sayat-Nova established in central Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The bust of the Armenian poet,  ashug Sayat-Nova was established October 16 at the center of Yerevan.  

 

"We must remember our brilliant and talented ashugs. They have enriched our culture and laid the basis for its further development, " a French sculptor of Armenian origin, the author of the bust Toros Raskelenian said. Toros Raskelenian was awarded the Legion of Honor of the French Republic and the Order of Movses Khorenatsi of the Republic of Armenia. 

 

Toros Raskelenian as early as in April this year, expressed willingness to gift a monument to Sayat-Nova to Yerevan, the monument is dedicated to the memory of the sculptor's mother.  

 

The bust unveiling ceremony was attended by the mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan and the Minister for Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan.  



"We will try to have as much as possible such remarkable sculptures in Yerevan," the mayor Gagik Beglaryan said.  

Sayat-Nova, Haroutiune Sayadyan - (1712-1795), Armenian poet, musician, ashug (Caucasian folk poet and singer), a master of love poetry, was born in a family of a native of Aleppo settled in Tiflis. Nineteen-year-old young men he had left to wander for 7 years. It is still a riddle which countries had Haroutiune Sayadyan visited.



He returned Tiflis with Sayat-Nova name, which means "king of songs" or "lord of music" in Hindi, as Hovhannes Tumanyan suggested.



Rumour about the amazing ashug  immediately spread over the town. After listening to the singing of Sayat-Nova, King Irakli II generously rewarded him and made his court ashug .

Sayat-Nova, serving as the head of the palace ensemble, lived at the court more than 10 years and eventually became a victim of the intrigues of the nobles. The king told him to take the vows. Sayat Nova was named Stepanos, obtained the rank of Archimandrite and became a member of the brotherhood of the Haghpat Monastery near the Georgian border.



He remained there until the outbreak of war with a fierce eunuch Agha Mohammed Khan fro Turkic dynasty of Qajars, occupied the Persian throne. In 1795 Tflis fell under the onslaught of hordes of Aga Mohammad-Khan and the 83-year-old monk was found killed in the Armenian cathedral church of Surb Gevorg. Sayat Nova was buried in the place of his death - under the north wall of the Church of Surb Gevorg.